“Unless there’s some crazy s–t that happens, which always does,” White said. “Other than that, the winner of this fight will get the next shot.”

UFC on FOX 5 takes place at Seattle’s KeyArena. Main-card fights air on FOX following prelims on FX and Facebook.

If the promise is fulfilled, it would come as horrific turn to ex-champs and soon-to-be opponents Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson, who both earned and fell out of title contention during a particularly crazy period for the UFC.

Henderson sustained a knee injury training for champ Jon Jones at UFC 151 and was forced to bow out of the event’s headliner. When the entire event was canceled, he was unable to fight Jones at UFC 152, and Machida, who was named No. 1 contender with a knockout of Ryan Bader at UFC on FOX 4, turned down an offer to fill in, citing lack of time to prepare.

Machida and Henderson now meet at UFC 157, which takes place Feb. 23 in Anaheim, Calif.

White additionally hedged by stating that the winner of Saturday’s fight might choose to take another bout if there is a holdup in the defense of the belt. Jones on April 27 defends his belt against Chael Sonnen in Newark, N.J. The two now coach opposite each other on “The Ultimate Fighter 17,” which is slated for January on FX.

Both Henderson and Machida have criticized the UFC’s decision to put Sonnen in the No. 1 contender spot. White said Sonnen earned the fight by accepting it where others didn’t.

Gustafsson, who enjoys a five-fight win streak and has lost only to top-tier light heavyweight Phil Davis, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he wasn’t offered a fight with Jones when the UFC sought to replace Henderson at UFC 151, but said he didn’t feel overlooked.

“Not at all,” he said.

Whomever is crowned the next contender, the even-keeled won’t drop to his knees post-fight and plead for the opportunity.

“I’m not that type of guy, but what I want to have is a title fight,” he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “That’s why I’m doing this every day, and that’s my motivation. I want to have the title one day.”

From Our Partners

The Latest

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.